Beating cancer with biology at the CelluLates

Science Museum Lates are adults-only, after-hours nights that take place in the museum on the last Wednesday of every month. The September Lates explored the theme of biology in its many different forms. Researchers from the CRUK Imperial Centre teamed up with others from UCL, King’s and the Francis Crick Institute to show how biology can be used to beat cancer sooner.

The researchers displayed cell samples through smartphone microscopes, with guests taking #cellfies on their phones! Visitors then got the chance to make cell badges while learning from our scientists about how the different components of a cell are essential to our health.

Next up visitors explored immunotherapy by acting as the immune system in our cell ball pit, competing to remove the cancer cells the fastest. Participants then got up close with some Drosophila, to discover how the humble fruit fly can be used to gain a better understanding of cancer.

This event gave us the chance to share cancer research from Imperial and across London with around 250 people, inspiring them with our pioneering science.